Investing in Oakland’s Youth Through Access and Opportunity
2025 OPRF
Year End Campaign
Oakland’s parks are places where community, creativity, and learning come together. This month, we’re launching the STEAM in the Parks Annual Campaign to fund scholarships for youth who need them most and open doors for hundreds of Oakland youth and teens.
This campaign creates more opportunities for young people to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math in Oakland recreation spaces like Studio One, The Discovery Center, Rotary Nature Center & Refuge, Town Camps, after-school programs, Oakland Tech, and more with Oakland Parks and Recreation and Youth Department (OPYRD).
Science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities ignite curiosity and build real-world problem-solving skills. Participants might design bridges, mix natural dyes, or explore robotics and coding.
These experiences are powerful, creative, and deeply engaging, especially for youth in communities that have fewer opportunities for STEAM enrichment. While these fields drive future careers and innovation, they’re among the least equitably funded in out-of-school programs. Investing in STEAM and integrating it into park programs helps close this opportunity gap and allows all children to see themselves as creators, builders, and inventors.
With dedicated funding allocated to STEAM, more young people can explore these essential fields, not just those whose families can afford enrichment.